Dressing Up For A Job Interview

When preparing for an interview, remember to not overlook the importance of a first impression. Get your hair cut well, trim your nails, bathe…all the usual things.

But when you first walk into the office for an initial interview, the first thing that anybody will notice about you is how you are dressed. Especially your shoes.

Shoes are the key to how you portray yourself. If they are scuffed and worn, that leads somebody who doesn’t know you to assume that you don’t pay attention to detail, that your habits are shoddy, and that you don’t really care. These are not the things you want people to think upon first impression.

Also, never underestimate how it feels to be dressed well. If you are applying for a position where the dress code is known to be casual, then showing up in a suit is a bit of a slap in the face. Gone are the days when a suit for an interview was the rule. Nowadays, especially in IT, it is the exception. Ask your recruiter, or your interviewer, before the interview, if a suit is appropriate. You may be surprised when it is not.

Finally, as Bill Vick states in his article below, dressing well imbues the candidate with confidence and a twinkle in the eye. There is an old adage about communication being 85% nonverbal, and only 15% what you say. An interview is a highly focused event, with both sides making grand, leaping conclusions about the other side. It is in your best interest to make yourself as “strong” as possible when you walk in that door for the first time. Dressing well, feeling confident, and being nice are only the beginning.

Dressing up is one of the most important parts in preparing for a job interview. You cannot simply overlook this. During the interview, your attire would be the first one to speak for you. You’ve already got the interviewer’s attention even if you have not spoken your first word.

“Dress to impress” should now be your favorite motto. Every serious job hunter should take this one seriously, that is, if you want to give a good lasting impression on the interview itself.

But what should you wear?

Needless to say, in any interview, you should first wear the right attire. Right would first mean appropriate. Before applying your personal style, make sure you know what dress code is required. You could probably take a second look at the invitation. If it’s not otherwise indicated, you could call the HR just to be sure. Some industries or fields may require a different set of dress codes so be aware of those too. And oh, do not wear casual attire for a formal job interview.

Here is another reason why you should aim for this. You do not just impress them with your clothes. If you are confident about the way you look, that would most likely add up to your total package as an applicant. On the other hand, if you’re worried about something, that would be obvious too.

But if you want to impress, you should do more than dress up right.

Most of the time, you would be wearing the standard business or professional attire. This would include the classic suit and necktie. Common colors for men’s suit would be black, navy, or gray, which are best matched with dress shirt and silk tie. You socks should match the shoes, which can be either black or brown. Brown leather shoes are for a brown suit.

Just make sure every piece of your attire is well coordinated. Be as conservative as possible.

Dress shirts not only come in many colors and designs, they’re also made of different materials. There are silk dress shirts, linen dress shirts, and the most popular cotton blend dress shirts. Keep in mind that silk and linen wrinkle more easily, while cotton dress shirts wrinkle less. As for color, white is always the first choice. It’s also the safest choice. White goes well with other colors. White creates the perfect contrast whatever the color of your suit and tie. Practically, it’s easier to match accessories with white.

If you would rather not wear white, choose pale and lighter shades of colors like blue, pink, and yellow. Note, though, that you are also setting a limitation as to which tie color you can have.

Standard silk ties are the most common type of tie. Consider the shirt or suit’s color when choosing the tie. You can get any colored tie for white shirts, but not with colored ones. Solid, warm colors are most desirable.

There are many designer brands of men’s suits like Armani, which may be worth investing in. The quality is unquestionable and could last more than that of other, cheaper suits. There are still good discount suits to favor a limited budget that could look just as great, too.

Cinthia McDonald invites you to check out the latest neckties offered at The-Perfect-Necktie.com. They are specialists in bow ties, mens neckties and mens accessories; you’re sure to find something to your liking.